OP-ED: FUNDING ROADBLOCKS CREATING DIGITAL HEALTH INEQUITY Beyond just clinical: Making the case for a pivot in reimbursement by Australian Government
With
Helen Souris,
CEO and Executive Director
Cardihab &
Board Member
Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA)
OP ED SEGMENT
Filmed in Sydney | June 2026
Helen Souris, CEO and Executive Director of Cardihab and Chair of the Digital Health Advisory Group at the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), highlights the significant gap in cardiac rehabilitation access across Australia. Despite the proven benefits of cardiac rehabilitation in improving survival, quality of life, and reducing hospital admissions, around 80% of eligible patients do not receive this care, with access rates even lower in regional and rural communities.
Cardihab was established as a digital health company originating from CSIRO research and has spent the past decade developing a digital therapeutic solution for cardiac rehabilitation.
Delivered through a clinically supervised software platform, the program enables patients to access rehabilitation remotely, removing barriers associated with travel and face-to-face attendance. The platform is registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) as a Class IIa medical device, reflecting its compliance with rigorous clinical and regulatory standards.
Over ten years, Cardihab has built a substantial evidence base, including randomised controlled trials and real-world studies. Independent research has demonstrated improvements in patient outcomes, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness, with the program outperforming traditional alternatives in most evaluated scenarios. As a result, the majority of private health insurers now support access to the platform, while statewide implementation has been achieved through partnerships such as the Tasmanian Health Service.
Despite these successes, Souris identifies funding as the primary barrier to broader adoption within the public health system. She argues that Australia already possesses the technology required to support the government’s digital health ambitions and that sustainable funding and reimbursement mechanisms are now needed to enable widespread access to evidence-based digital therapeutics and remote patient care solutions.
Source: Adapted from transcript
Media access credit: Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA)
Note: Op Ed segments are opinions and comments on policies. They should be watched for awareness purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect the views held by Australian Health Journal.
-
LIVED EXPERIENCE: Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD)
Jen O’Neill is a Social Work Program Manager and mother of two from the Central Coast, NSW.
At 36, she experienced her first spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) heart attack and has since survived two further SCADs before age 43.
-
From Canadian dental graduate to Australian orthodontic practice
Dr Helen Moon is a Specialist Orthodontist dedicated to delivering evidence-based, patient-centred orthodontic care. She graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) and began her career as a general dentist, gaining valuable experience over 2.5 years in comprehensive dental practice. This foundation provided her with a broad understanding of oral health before she pursued advanced specialist training in orthodontics.
-
Awareness, diagnosis and treatment of Congenital Hypothyroidism
Australian Health Journal spoke to Associate Professor MIchelle Jack about congenital hypothyroidism and newborn screening and her concerns in the varying thresholds for across different states in Australia. Despite the existence of newborn screening programs since the 1970s, there is still controversy surrounding the appropriate screening levels. Congenital hypothyroidism, affecting about one in 3500 infants, can lead to severe intellectual and physical impairment if not diagnosed early. The condition is mainly caused by the thyroid gland’s failure to develop properly, resulting in insufficient thyroid hormone production.
